Motor vehicles incorporate energy absorbing structures that are designed to deform to absorb kinetic energy due to the motor vehicle colliding with another object. The energy absorbing structures deform when impacted, and the deformation of the energy absorbing structures reduce the amount of energy that can be imparted to the passenger cabin and to the passengers of the motor vehicle.
Previous attempts at testing the energy absorbing structures have been inadequate. Component level testing, for example “drop tower” testing, generally rigidly mounts the energy absorbing structure and introduces a weighted object in an attempt to simulate a motor vehicle collision. However, component level testing does not generally replicate the boundary conditions the energy absorbing structure experiences in a motor vehicle collision. Full scale motor vehicle testing, where the energy absorbing structure is mounted to the motor vehicle, can accurately replicate the boundary conditions on the energy absorbing structure. However, full scale motor vehicle testing incurs a high cost and time for preparation.
Accordingly, impact test fixtures that replicate boundary conditions of a motor vehicle collision are required.